This invention relates to a fishing equipment device to facilitate the clean and portable and self-contained preparation of cut bait for the sports angler. In general the invention comprises an octagonal cutting block secured by means of fasteners to a round, deep-welled tub or reservoir, wherein the rounded inclined inner walls and bottom of the tub or reservoir interact with the perpendicular, planar faces of the solid octagonal cutting block to prevent a standard angler's cutting tool from leaping or bouncing out of the tub or reservoir when the said invention is being used aboard a sport fishing vessel which is moving from one fishing location to another.
A major problem associated with the preparation of fresh bait is the mess which accompanies filleting bait fish, stripping squid, chunking bait fish, cutting bloodworms, and preparing other fresh bait. Blood, viscera, and other wastes from the preparation process stain and soil cockpit fitting, brightwork, gunwales, transoms and other parts of a contemporary fishing vessel. The same waste also makes decks slippery. Fishermen often cut bait on any object available to them when they are aboard a contemporary fishing vessel. With fillet knives or other standard angler's cutting tools the fishermen hack and ruin gunwales, transoms, seat cushions, cooler tops, or the like.
It is one object of this invention to provide at a reasonable cost to the angler a solid octagonal cutting block secured to a totally portable, water-tight, self-contained tub or reservoir for the clean and facile preparation of fresh bait. The tub or reservoir acts as a self-contained collector of the blood, viscera and other wastes associated with preparing fresh baits. The solid octagonal cutting block is an ever-ready planar surface for the preparation of cut bait. The said waste can either be disposed of at a convenient time or collected to be recycled as fresh chum.
Another object of this invention is to ensure that the cutting block is properly treated with fish oil concentrates and other natural oils so that during the preparation of fresh bait the bait being prepared does not pick up foreign odors distractive to fish sought by the angler.
Further, for portability, over-the-side clean-up, and hang-up drying and storage a nylon halyard is attached to a boat snap with eye swivel which in turn is attached to the tub or reservoir through a grommet which has been stamped through the side of the tub or reservoir.